Ronan hurried Aria through twisting passageways as shouts echoed from the courtyard below. Through the windows, she caught glimpses of torches and armed wolves gathered outside the gates.
Her father's army.
"This way," Ronan said, pushing open a heavy wooden door. "You'll be safe here."
The room was small but clean, with a single bed, desk, and window that looked out over the forest. After ten years of sleeping on the ground, it felt like a castle.
"It's not much," Ronan said sheepishly. "But it's yours."
Aria ran her fingers over the soft blanket, hardly believing it was real. "Why are you being nice to me?"
"Because someone should be." His voice was gentle, and when she looked up, his brown eyes held real kindness. "You've been through enough."
"You don't know what I've done."
"I know what people say you've done. That's different."
The words hit her like a surprise gift. When was the last time someone had given her the benefit of the doubt? She couldn't remember.
"My sister is dead because of me," she said softly. "That's not rumor. That's fact."
Ronan leaned against the doorframe, studying her face. "How old were you?"
"Eight."
"And Lyra was what, seven?"
Aria nodded, not trusting her words.
"Children make mistakes," Ronan said simply. "That doesn't make them murderers."
Tears stung her eyes. She'd waited ten years to hear someone say those words. Ten years of carrying guilt that felt heavy than mountains.
"Tell that to my father," she whispered.
"Maybe I will."
Before she could reply, heavy footsteps pounded down the hallway. A woman emerged in the doorway carrying an armload of clothes. She was middle-aged with graying hair and sharp eyes that missed nothing.
"Beta Ronan," she said with a slight bow. "I brought what you requested."
"Thank you, Martha. This is Aria Thorn. She'll be staying with us."
Martha's face didn't change, but Aria caught the quick flash of recognition in her eyes. Everyone knew the story of the sister-killer.
"Miss," Martha said politely, setting the clothes on the bed. "There's a bathroom through that door.
Hot water, soap, everything you need." Hot water. Aria's throat tightened with feeling. Such a simple thing, but she hadn't had a real bath in years.
"I'll leave you to get settled," Ronan said. "But first" He pulled a small item from his pocket. "Take this."
It was a phone, sleek and expensive-looking. Aria looked at it like it might bite her.
"I don't need that."
"It's not for making calls. It's so I can find you if something happens." Ronan's face grew serious. "This pack house is big, and not everyone in it is nice. Stay in this room unless I come to get you. Don't walk around alone."
"Am I a prisoner or a guest?"
"Right now? You're someone whose father is threatening war to get back." Ronan met her eyes steadily. "That makes you valuable. And valuable things attract dangerous attention."
After he left, Aria stood alone in the quiet room. Through the window, she could see more lights gathering in the courtyard. Her father's reinforcements were still coming.
The mate bond pulsed, carrying Kael's cold anger. He was somewhere below, possibly meeting with her father. The thought made her stomach twist with dread.
She grabbed the clothes Martha had brought and headed for the bathroom. The moment she saw herself in the mirror, she gasped. She looked like a wild animal. Her hair was a knotted mess of knots and leaves. Dirt streaked her face and clothes. Scratches covered her arms from running through the bush.
No wonder Kael had looked at her with such disgust.
The hot water was heaven against her skin. She scrubbed away ten years of outdoor living, watching brown water swirl down the drain. When she finally stepped out, she felt almost human again.
The clothes fit perfectly dark jeans, a soft blue sweater, underwear that actually matched. Someone had even given shoes that were exactly her size.
How had they known?
A soft knock interrupted her thinking. "Aria? It's Ronan. May I come in?"
She opened the door to find him holding a tray of food. The smell hit her like a physical force roasted chicken, fresh bread, veggies that weren't half-rotten. Her mouth watered instantly.
"When did you last eat?" he asked, setting the tray on the small table by the window.
"I... I don't remember."
Ronan's face darkened. "Sit. Eat. All of it."
Aria didn't need to be told twice. She fell on the food like the starving animal she was, barely stopping to breathe. It was the best meal she'd had in a decade.
"Better?" Ronan asked when she finally slowed down.
"Much. Thank you." She studied his face, trying to understand his reasons. "Why are you helping me? Really?"
Ronan was quiet for a moment, looking out the window at the lights below. "Because I know what it's like to be thrown away by the people who should love you most."
"Your family?"
"My first pack. They decided I wasn't strong enough to be Beta material. Cast me out when I was sixteen." His smile was bitter. "If Kael hadn't found me, I'd probably be dead by now."
"So you saved me because someone saved you?"
"Partly." Ronan turned back to her. "But also because you don't deserve what's happening to you. None of it."
The mate bond flared suddenly, carrying a spike of Kael's rage so intense it made her gasp. Something was happening downstairs. Something bad.
"What's wrong?" Ronan was on his feet instantly.
"Kael. He's... angry. More than before."
Ronan swore under his breath. "Stay here. Lock the door behind me. Don't open it for anyone except me."
"Wait." Aria grabbed his arm as he headed for the door. "What aren't you telling me? Why is everyone so interested in the useless rogue daughter?"
Ronan hesitated, and she saw the exact moment he chose to tell her the truth.
"Because you're not just any daughter," he said quietly. "You're the eldest of Alpha Victor Thorn. And according to the old rules, that makes you heir to his pack."
The words hit her like lightning. "That's impossible. I was kicked out. Exiled."
"Exile doesn't change genes, Aria. It doesn't change fate." Ronan's eyes were sad. "Your father threw you away, but he never publicly named another heir. Which means officially, you're still next in line to lead the Thorn Pack."
The room spun around her. "But Lyra was the choice. She was supposed to"
"Lyra is dead. You're not." Ronan gripped her shoulders gently. "That's why your father is here with an army. That's why Kael won't let you go. That's why you're so valuable."
"I don't want it," she whispered. "I never wanted to be Alpha."
"What you want doesn't matter anymore." Ronan's speech was sad but firm. "The moment that mate bond activated, you became a player in a game much bigger than yourself."
Heavy footsteps thundered in the hallway outside. Ronan spun toward the door, his body tense and ready for fight.
"That's not my signal," he said grimly.
The footsteps stopped right outside their door. Then came three sharp knocks.
"Miss Thorn?" The voice was unknown, male, with an accent she couldn't place. "Your father wants to see you. Now."
Ronan stepped protectively in front of Aria. "She's not going anywhere."
"I'm afraid that's not your decision, Beta Vale."
The door handle turned slowly, even though Aria was sure Ronan had locked it. Someone on the other side had a key.
Or magic. The door swung open to show a man in an expensive suit, flanked by two massive wolves. His smile was nice, but his eyes were cold as winter ice.
"Hello, Aria," he said easily. "My name is Magnus Vance. And your father and I have so much to discuss with you."
Behind him, the dogs' eyes glowed red in the dim hallway light.
Not normal dog eyes.
Something else entirely.